A MAN who brutally attacked another man at Sunderland's railway station was yesterday shown mercy by three judges - because his girlfriend is facing a charge of murdering their baby son.

Phillip Joseph Raine, 29, of The Avenue, Sunderland, pleaded guilty at Durham Crown Court to causing grievous bodily harm to Kevin Atkinson and was jailed for 18 months.

But Judge Anne Goddard QC, sitting at London's Criminal Appeal Court with Lord Justice Potter and Mr Justice Hidden, cut the sentence to 12 months, "in the spirit of mercy." The judge said Raine had great affection and love for his seven- month-old son, who was recently found dead in circumstances which have led to a charge of murder being brought against Raine's girlfriend.

The attack on Mr Atkinson had been "wicked and vicious", but a cut in Raine's sentence was justified In the unusual circumstances, the judges ruled.

The court was told that Raine had attacked Mr Atkinson, whom he had known for two or three months, at the station in February last year.